Blame it on the Heat

We analyzed data from 57,293 Major League Baseball games to test whether high temperatures interact with provocation to increase the likelihood that batters will be hit by a pitch. Controlling for a number of other variables, we conducted analyses showing that the probability of a pitcher hitting a batter increases sharply at high temperatures when more of the pitcher’s teammates have been hit by the opposing team earlier in the game. We suggest that high temperatures increase retaliation by increasing hostile attributions when teammates are hit by a pitch and by lowering inhibitions against retaliation.

That’s from a new paper by Richard Larrick, Thomas Timmerman, Andrew Carton, and Jason Abrevaya.

The question is whether this is a pro or con for building a stadium with a roof. The answer probably depends on whether your priority is to maximize entertainment, or avoid being home to baseball’s Ron Artest.